Film wrapping or packaging machines are of course well known and comprise two different primary types of machines. A first primary type of film wrapping or packaging machine is the vertical type packaging or wrapping machine wherein a ring member, upon which a roll of stretch film wrapping material is mounted by means of a suitable carriage having a dispensing mechanism or tensioning assembly incorporated therein, is rotated around a vertical axis. The ring member, as well as the carriage, the roll of stretch film wrapping material, and the stretch film dispensing and tensioning mechanism mounted upon the ring member, are also mounted upon a vertically reciprocable frame member which, in turn, is movably mounted upon and within a fixed structural framework.
Accordingly, when it is desired to wrap an article to be packaged or wrapped, wherein the article is disposed, for example, at a fixed wrapping station defined within the fixed structural framework, the ring member is rotated in a substantially horizontal plane and about its vertical axis, while being simultaneously moved in the vertical direction by means of the vertically reciprocable frame member, whereby the roll of stretch film wrapping material, mounted upon the rotatable ring member by means of the carriage assembly, encircles and completely wraps or envelops the article within the film wrapping or packaging material.
The second primary type of film wrapping or packaging machine is the horizontal type packaging or wrapping machine wherein such machines are often used to wrap or package, among other types or articles to be packaged or wrapped, substantially elongated loads which would otherwise be difficult to wrap or package if the vertical type of wrapping or packaging machine was employed. In the horizontal type packaging or wrapping machine, a ring member, upon which a roll of stretch film wrapping material is mounted by means of a suitable carriage having a dispensing mechanism or tensioning assembly incorporated therein, is rotated around a horizontal axis. The ring member is usually axially stationary and a first conveyor is operatively associated therewith so as to move the article to be wrapped through the interior open-space portion of the ring member which thereby in effect defines a wrapping station therewithin.
Accordingly, when the roll of stretch film wrapping material, mounted upon the carriage, is rotated around the ring member as a result of the carriage and ring member being rotated about the horizontal axis of the ring member, the wrapping material is wrapped around the article and part of the first conveyor. The first conveyor continuously moves the article through the wrapping station defined by means of the ring member, and the downstream end of the wrapped or packaged article is transferred to a second conveyor which effectively and ultimately removes the entire wrapped or packaged article from the first conveyor whereupon the stretch film wrapping material is released from its enveloping position with respect to the first conveyor and effectively contracts, due to its elastic memory, in a tensioned state upon the article so as to thereby properly wrap or package the article. Horizontal type packaging or wrapping machines are exemplified by means of U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,336 which issued on Sep. 4, 1990 to Lancaster, III et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,374 which issued on Nov. 19, 1985 to Lancaster et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,388 which issued on Oct. 29, 1985 to Lancaster, U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,568 which issued on Jun. 25, 1985 to Lancaster et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,322 which issued on Mar. 2, 1982 to Lancaster et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,110,957 which issued on Sep. 5, 1978 to Lancaster et al.
In connection with the fabrication or manufacture of the ring members of the horizontal type packaging or wrapping machines, the ring members are conventionally manufactured as annular ring members or components which are cut out from substantially large, flat, square-shaped planar sheets or plates. A typically conventional film carriage ring for use within horizontal stretch-type film wrapping or packaging machines and fabricated or manufactured in accordance with the afore-noted techniques is illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 1-3. The film carriage ring is generally indicated by the reference character 10 and is seen to comprise an annular ring member 12 around the outer periphery of which there has been welded a reinforcing flange member 14. The annular ring member 12 has been severed or cut out from a substantially square-shaped steel plate 16, which is indicated in phantom lines simply for illustrative purposes and understanding of the fabrication or manufacturing techniques, and accordingly, it can be readily appreciated that as a result of the severing and removal of the annular ring member 12 from the steel plate 16, corner regions 18 of the steel plate 16, as well as the substantially large residual central region 20 of the steel plate 16, are entirely wasted.
It is to be noted that the surrounding reinforcing flange member 14 is welded onto the external periphery of the annular ring member 12 subsequent to the severing and removal of the annular ring member 12 from the steel plate 16. In addition, a first annular region, as illustrated in FIG. 1, of the annular ring member 12 is provided with a plurality of apertures 22 within which fasteners, not shown, can be disposed so as to mount the film wrapping material carriage assembly, also not shown, upon the ring member 12, and a plurality of apertures 24 are provided within a second annular region, located diametrically opposite the first annular region, within which additional fasteners, not shown, can be disposed so as to mount a suitable device or mechanism upon the ring member 12 so as to counterbalance the presence and weight of the film wrapping material carriage.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved film carriage ring which can be utilized in connection with horizontal-type stretch film packaging or wrapping machines, which can be easily and readily manufactured or fabricated, and which does not result in the substantial waste of material as is characteristic of the conventionally constructed, manufactured or fabricated ring members used within current horizontal-type stretch film packaging or wrapping machines.